I appreciate the possibility that newer internal combustion engines (ICEs) burn more oil throughout their life. This appears to be partly due to using lower viscosity oils (which are being specified to achieve higher efficiency).
But I am also occasionally reading (on the wider web) that newer ICEs will burn off more oil during the break-in period. This is for example stated in this answer.
The oil consumption can be as much as 1 liter per 1,000 km during a running-in period of approx. 5,000 km if the engine is new or replaced (replacement of piston ring).
If it is indeed true that recent ICEs will burn more oil during the break-in period (5000? 10000? miles-kilometers?), why would that be so? What would consume oil during the first few thousands of the lifetime of an engine than the next stage of its lifetime?
My cast iron pans require an oil seasoning during the first several instances of use. This patina will subsequently protect the pan and will result in better performance (less adherence of food, for example). If I open a fully broken-in ICE and touch the cylinder walls, will I find a patina akin to cast iron pan seasoning?